Black River Technical College’s (BRTC) Career and Technical Center (CTC) has made great strides since its inception in 2019. The center is now able to give enrolled students a much larger range of opportunities.
The number of students enrolled from the 2019-2020 academic year to the 2022-2023 academic year increased by 163 percent. Certificates of proficiency earned increased by 172 percent. Students earning technical certificates increased by 66 percent. The number of college credit hours earned has increased 151 percent.
A 148 percent increase in student certifications earned is driven by BRTC’s increased capability of offering students more certifications.
“We’ve added a program each year starting with auto collision then auto service the next year and so on,” said BRTC’s Director of Career, Technical, and Concurrent Education Darenda Kersey. “This year we will be adding Automation and Robotics, and there’s a possibility of one more.”
In the beginning, CTC only offered Certified Nursing Assistant, Phlebotomy, Welding, Industrial Electricity/Electronics, and Machine Tool Technology.
A full list of programs now offered include Nursing Assisting (CNA), Phlebotomy, Patient Care Tech, EMT, Welding, Industrial Electricity & Electronics, Machine Tool Technology, Auto Service Technology, Auto Body Collision Repair.
“We also have high school students taking our general education classes concurrently working toward the Associate of Arts in Gen Ed. We are also seeing high school students start working toward our Associate of Science in Education for K-6. They can complete the Certificate of Proficiency in this area before graduating high school, possibly start working as a Paraprofessional in a local school district while continuing their education completely online to become a certified teacher,” Kersey said.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, CTC enrolled 124 juniors and seniors from area high schools. Students earned 1,517 hours of college credit, 87 certificates of proficiency, 84 basic certificates, 9 technical certificates, and multiple industry recognized credentials.
Credentials earned were 51 CPR certifications, 53 OSHA-10 certifications, 5 American Welding Society Certifications, 17 Certified Phlebotomy Technician Certifications, 14 State CNA Certifications, 9 Automotive Service Excellence Certifications, 1 National Registry EMT Certification and 4 Gold Career Readiness Certifications, 24 Silver Career Readiness Certifications, 21 Bronze Career Readiness Certifications, 1 Platinum Career Readiness Certification, and 1 Microsoft Office Specialist certification; a total of 201 certifications.
During the 2019-2020 academic year, the Career and Technical Center enrolled 47 juniors and seniors from area high schools. Students earned 604 hours of college credit, 32 certificates of proficiency, 5 technical certificates, and multiple industry recognized credentials.
Credentials earned were 31 CPR certifications, 10 State CNA Certifications, 10 Certified Phlebotomy Technician Certifications, 10 OSHA-10 certifications, 4 American Welding Society Certifications, and 3 Gold Career Readiness Certifications, 5 Silver Career Readiness Certifications, 7 Bronze Career Readiness Certifications, 1 Platinum Career Readiness Certification; a total of 81 certifications.
BRTC’s CTC is a free program which enables high school juniors and seniors to get a head start on a career after high school. Students can graduate with their high school diploma as well as with a BRTC certificate, ready to go right into the workforce. Juniors and seniors at participating high schools are eligible to apply for the program.
In the BRTC CTC, programs of study are offered in Nursing Assisting (CNA), Phlebotomy, Patient Care Tech, EMT, Welding, Industrial Electricity & Electronics, Machine Tool Technology, Auto Service Technology, Auto Body Collision Repair, and next year Robotics & Industrial Automation will be added.
Participating Schools include Arkansas Virtual Academy, Brookland, Corning, Greene County Tech, Hillcrest, Hoxie, Marmaduke, Maynard, Paragould, Piggott, Pocahontas, Rector, Sloan-Hendrix, and Walnut Ridge.
The BRTC Career & Technical Center is located on both the Pocahontas and Paragould BRTC campuses. This program is funded by the Office of Skills Development.
BRTC’s Concurrent program enables high school students to earn both college and high school credit during classes taught at the high school campus, in selected cases on the BRTC campus, or by distance education. Any high school student who has completed the 8th grade, is enrolled in an Arkansas high school, and is recommended by their high school principal, superintendent, or counselor is eligible to take concurrent classes.
For more information about the CTC or concurrent programs contact BRTC Director of Career, Technical, and Concurrent Education Darenda Kersey at (870)248-4184 or by email at Darenda.Kersey@blackrivertech.edu.